Notes from Alabama’s 30-12 win over Auburn

Kirk McNair

11/26/2016

Alabama extends several streaks in defeating Auburn

Anyone who can remember just 267 minutes and 54 seconds, less than five hours, should be able to remember the last time Alabama’s defense surrendered a touchdown. Of course, that time is game action and goes back to Oct. 22 and the third quarter against Texas A&M.

Alabama did it again in its 30-12 victory over Auburn, adding the Tigers to a list that includes LSU (10-0), Mississippi State (51-3), and Chattanooga (31-3).

Alabama entered the game against Auburn ranked second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 11.4 points per game.

On the other hand, Auburn had not given up a rushing TD in its past eight games, but surrendered one to the Tide’s Jalen Hurts.

Here are notes from Alabama’s win over Auburn in Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday.

Alabama improved its record to 12-0 Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium and Bama also improved its winning streak to 24 consecutive games, which leads the nation. The 24-game streak is the third-longest in Alabama and SEC history (28 games twice: 1991-93 and 1978-80) and is the longest under the direction of Coach Nick Saban (previous long: 19 games in 2009-10). During this stretch, the Crimson Tide has won 12 games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, eight straight road matchups and four consecutive neutral-site contests while going 16-0 against teams from the Southeastern Conference. Alabama has outscored its opponents by 596 points (890-294; 37.1-12.3), an average of 24.8 points per game, during the streak.

It was also the Crimson Tide’s 14th consecutive win against a ranked opponent, best since Southern Cal won 16 in a row against ranked opponents and thi,rd best in history. Alabama's all-time record against ranked opponents is 152-124-7 (.549). Alabama is 123-75-3 (.619) as a ranked team playing a ranked opponent. Alabama was ranked first and Auburn 13th going into the game.

The Tide also improved its all-time record to 45-35-1 against Auburn with a third consecutive win over the Tigers. Bama has won five of the last six against Auburn and seven of ten under Saban.

Alabama has reached the 12-win mark for the 10th time in school history (1979, 1992, 1994, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-16) and the seventh time under Saban.

Alabama has played 71 games as the nation’s top-ranked team since the inception of the Associated Press poll in 1936. In those games, the Crimson Tide boasts a 61-10 (.859) record. Those numbers get even more impressive when you look at the 10 seasons under the direction of Saban (2007-present). Since the ninth game of the 2008 season (113 games), Alabama has played 47 games while being ranked No. 1, posting a 42-5 (.894) record during that span.

Alabama, which has been No. 1 throughout this season, has been ranked in 9 of his 10 seasons at Bama (all but his first year in 2007) and has finished the season ranked No. 1 four times (2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015).

Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts set an Alabama-Auburn record by completing 75 per cent of his passes. That mark is the best by any quarterback in the series with a minimum of 30 attempts. Hurts also posted totals that rank among the all-time top 10 in total plays (48, 3rd); total offense (323 yards, 4th); pass attempts (36, 7th); pass completions (27, tie-2nd); and passing yards (286, 7th).

Hurts is the first true freshman to start at quarterback in a game against Auburn.

Wide Receiver ArDarius Stewart's 10 catches ranks tied for second by any player in Alabama-Auburn history (Alabama's Julio Jones in 2010). The record for catches in an Iron Bowl is 13, set by Amari Cooper of Alabama in 2014.

Alabama placekicker Adam Griffith and Auburn kicker Daniel Carlson both scored 12 points by kicking on Saturday, tying for second all-time in Iron Bowl history behind the 13 points scored by Alabama's Van Tiffin in 1985.

Griffith kicked three extra points Saturday and now has 54 this season and an Alabama record 174 for his career.

With two tackles for loss against Auburn, Jonathan Allen moved into a tie for fifth place on the Alabama career TFL list with Eric Curry (1990-92) with 40.5. Senior linebacker Ryan Anderson notched a pair of TFLs as well against the Tigers to move into ninth place at 37.5.

Alabama is now 103-6 under Saban when leading at the half. The Tide had a 13-9 advantage at intermission.

Jalen Hurts is the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

Hurts passed for two touchdowns and ran for one against Auburn and has been responsible for 33 in his first year at Alabama. That’s second all-time in Crimson Tide history, trailing only Blake Sims, who had 35 in 2014. Hurts has thrown for 21 touchdowns and rushed for 12. Sims had 28 passing, 7 running.